Things to Do: Wine Tasting

I have decided to blog about some of the fantastic places you should visit while in Malta learning English.

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting one of Malta premium wine estates, in Ta'Qali near Rabat, called Meridiana.

The idea of having a local wine produced here germinated in 1985 as a result of a conversation between Mark Miceli-Farrugia, a wine-trader, and a Bordeaux oenologist. As a result, two years later, Meridiana Wine Estate was established in April 1987. The company's pioneering mission is to produce "World-Class Wines of Maltese Character" - internationally acclaimed wines made from wine-grapes grown exclusively in Maltese soil. Until then, all "Maltese wine" was produced from a mixture of table-grapes, imported wine-grapes, and sugar.

The estate I visited was in Ta' Qali, Malta's agricultural heartland. It lies scenically below the ancient, walled-city of Mdina so you might be tempted to visit the ancient city at the same time as long as you don't taste too much wine!!

Meridiana produces several wines. These are listed below:


White Wines
I S I S
(Chardonnay of Malta)
Made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, Isis is characterised by fresh, natural, tropical fruit flavours. The name Isis recalls the Phoenician goddess of sailors whose vigilant eye still graces the prow of the Maltese fishing luzzu. This is my personal favourite. I always recommend this to students to take back home with them as it is comparable to other foreign wines!

M I S T R A L
(Premium, Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay of Malta)
Made exclusively from mature Chardonnay grapes, Mistral is fermented on its lees in new French oak barriques. This premium white wine is characterised by a delicate balance between its firm, complex structure, its ripe acidity and its buttery peach-like fruitiness. The name Mistral derives from Malta's prevailing North Westerly wind which cools the Company's vineyard, thus favouring the cultivation of the Chardonnay grape.

Red Wines

M E L Q A R T
(Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot of Malta)
Made from an artful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, Melqart is characterised by ripe berry flavours which are enhanced by careful maturation in barrique. The name Melqart recalls the Phoenician god of sailors worshipped in Malta during the Punic period.

B E L
(Syrah of Malta)
Made exclusively from Syrah grapes, Bel is characterised by silky, prune and peppery spice flavours which are enhanced by careful maturation in barrique. The name Bel recalls the Phoenician god of fertility worshipped under various names throughout the Punic world. This wine is the perfect drink with a juicy steak.


Tours to this estate can be organised and take a couple of hours. Contact us for more information

AClass English School Winter 2010

Here are a few pictures of our beautiful island in winter. Two of the pictures are of Riviera beach which is a 20-minute bus ride away from the school. We also have beaches which are 5-10 minutes walk away.

Isle of MTV 2010

The fourth edition of the Isle of MTV has been announced by the Malta Tourism Authority. This concert is to be held on the 30th of June and is FREE.

Previous acts and performers included Lady GaGa, Black Eyed Peas, Enrique Iglesias, Akon and The Kooks.

So why not book an English language course in Malta and go to the MTV concert for free!

2010 is a Great Year to Study and Learn English in Malta

I hope that you are all busy and in a great mood, like everyone here at AClass.

January started with a bang. We were asked to develop and teach a tailor-made Business English Program for a pharmaceutical company based in Malta. The lessons were given on-site so we had to drive to and fro on a weekly basis.

The hard works seems to have paid off as we have received very positive comments based on the clients' feedback.

Back at school we have seen a number of new students here at AClass. One of our latest students was a nanophysicist from Geneva. She was so pleased with her English lessons that she plans on continuing them over Skype in the coming months. Bookings are coming in on a daily basis so no doubt we will building on our first summer's success.

AClass Academy of English is THE school to come to in Malta if you want to learn English.

December Time at AClass

December is a wonderful time to be in Malta. Although it can be quite chilly, when the sun comes out you get to see the lush green landscape which is a welcome change from the dry summer months.

Now is the time to put on your walking boots and go exploring Malta's countryside. The Ramblers Association always welcomes tourists and locals alike on scheduled walks they organise on a weekly basis.

Christmas is around the corner and the Christmas Party organised by the school for all the staff at St Catherine's and AClass is coming up. I for one will be looking forward to a few mince pies and glasses of wine.

January is looking quite busy with several students coming to learn English in Malta . Our booking Business and General English Courses are on the up. Now everyone in the admin office is gearing up to start working on Summer 2010 which hope will be even better than last year.

Myself and all the AClass staff wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you in January 2010!!

Go Camping in Malta with AClass Academy of English

So, you want to combine you language holiday in Malta with something a bit different. How about going of the beaten track and discovering some of what Malta's beautiful countryside has to offer?

Dare to be different and join our expert guides who are fully-certified in First Aid and have over 200 camping trips under their belts.

If this doesn't tickle your fancy, you can try your hand at climbing while learning English or fishing for those who really want to sit back and relax.

Contact AClass for more information on hiking, trekking, camping and adventure sports while learning English in Malta.

AClass Academy of English : Italian Website

AClass has finally gone live with their new website in Italian. This should help Italian speakers make a more informd choice about where to study English.

The site is very similar to the English version of the site and can be accessed by clicking on the Italian flag in the top righthand corner of the website.

This is the beginnng of our efforts to reach out to a wider audience.